Facebook Buys Oculus VR for $2 Billion

Facebook has been on something of a buying spree this year, but those acquisitions have focused more on communication than anything else. That all changes today, as Facebook's CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg announced the company has purchased Oculus VR, the team behind the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. A rather lengthy post by Zuckerberg on Facebook (viewable at the source) covers the decision to buy Oculus VR for $2 billion, and it stems from the fact that Oculus is a leader in virtual reality technology. Zuckerberg intends for the Rift headset to continue on its intended course of delivering immersive gaming experiences, and how Facebook can help accelerate that plan. However, there's another part of the VR experience Zuckerberg is interested in, and it ties directtly into what Facebook is about: communication.

Zuckerberg explains that VR communication can allow people to share experiences easier, from meeting your doctor when you aren't in town to taking in your favorite team's game when you're nowhere near the stadium. It can also be used in the classroom for a multitude of applications. Hopefully we can avoid people sharing their most recent meal on an Oculus headset, but you never know. So, we have Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg saying the Oculus Rift will continue on its gaming path, but also get expanded upon to cover much more. It could be the kick in the pants needed to make VR a possibility for everyone, but it could also be something that makes plenty of people wary.